This invention relates to spring jaw clips for receiving blade type fuses. In particular it relates to fuse clips of the aforementioned type having a fuse removal device incorporated therewith.
Spring jaw fuse clips for receiving blade type fuses are well known in the art. The contact pressure necessary to affect efficient current transfer between the fuse blade and spring jaws increases in proportion to the size and current rating of the fuse. For large fuses, the amount of pressure from the spring jaws is so substantial as to render insertion or removal of the fuse from the clip extremely difficult. Moreover, upstanding insulating barriers are commonly provided between adjacent fuses to achieve adequate electrical insulation between the adjacent fuses. The space between these barriers and the fuses is relatively small and adds to the difficulty of fuse removal.
Various devices have been provided on or in association with fuse clips to assist in fuse removal, one such device being a bell crank lever pivotally mounted to the fuse clip or to the insulating base to have one leg underly the blade at one end of the fuse. By pivoting the opposite end of the bell crank, the first mentioned leg will pry the fuse blade upwardly from between the spring jaws of the clip. This design has the disadvantage of requiring additional mechanical assembly and provision of additional formations on the base or fuse clip to accommodate the pivotal mounting of the bell crank. Another approach to solving this problem is to provide a fuse puller, or handle, directly on the fuse to project upwardly above the barriers. A disadvantage in this approach is that the fuse puller must be removed from the old fuse and placed onto the new fuse each time a fuse is changed. Still another approach to the problem is to provide a fuse puller in the molded base of the switch or device to which the fuse clip is mounted. Such fuse puller comprises a loop of insulating material guided for vertical movement within guideways molded in the switch base and limited in vertical movement by formations on the base and on the insulating loop. This approach has the disadvantage that each fusible device must be designed to include the guideways and limit stop configuration for the insulating loop fuse puller. Many present design fusible devices lack adequate space for this provision.